


(Death cannot stop true love) All it can do is delay it for a while

by orphan_account



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: But only later, Don't worry, I'm gonna make this the first multi-chapter fic I actually remember to update, I've got it all planned out and everything, M/M, Please don't kill me if I've got stuff wrong, Pon Farr, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-06
Updated: 2013-12-06
Packaged: 2018-01-03 16:28:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1072663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This idea popped into my head one morning and decided it wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it down. As you may know, I am AWFUL at remembering to actually update multi-chapter fics but I've got this one all planned out so hopefully I'll finish it. If I mess up, please don't eat me (this mostly refers to later chapters) and, above all, please enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote>





	(Death cannot stop true love) All it can do is delay it for a while

**Author's Note:**

> This idea popped into my head one morning and decided it wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it down. As you may know, I am AWFUL at remembering to actually update multi-chapter fics but I've got this one all planned out so hopefully I'll finish it. If I mess up, please don't eat me (this mostly refers to later chapters) and, above all, please enjoy!

The bridge of the _Enterprise_ was unusually quiet, the only sound the quiet bleeping of computers as the crew dutifully performed their tasks. Jim sat back in the command chair, looking around. He knew that his crew were desperate for shore leave, and who could blame them? It had been months since they last found a reasonable class M planet they could stretch their legs on. There was only so long you could spend on a ship- even one as large as the Federation’s flagship- before the recycled air and replicated food began to drive you a little bit insane.  
Sulu looked around and spoke, jerking Jim out of his thoughts. He shook his head, focusing on the present again.  
“I’m sorry, lieutenant, would you mind repeating that?” he said. Standing over at the science station, Spock turned around but didn’t comment.  
“I said we’re receiving a transmission from New Vulcan, Captain. Would you like me to put it on the screen?”  
“Yes, thank you.”  
Spock walked over and stood behind Jim’s chair, looking at the screen.  
“New Vulcan, Captain? I suppose that means the person sending the transmission is-”  
Jim grinned.  
“I guess so.”  
Spock raised an eyebrow.  
“Captain, I fail to understand why you are so pleased to talk to-”  
Jim cut him off, smiling at the screen as the signal was patched through. An older Vulcan appeared on the screen, his gaze softening as he looked at the bridge crew though he still appeared worried.  
“Hello, Ambassador Spock,” said the captain with a small smile and a passable attempt at the ta’al. Spock watched his older counterpart return the gesture and felt the strange sensation of wrongness that stung in his side every time he watched Jim talking to the Ambassador. They seemed so friendly and at ease, and Spock wondered yet again what the Ambassador’s version of Jim had been to deserve that.  
“Good day, Captain. Spock. I have a request for you, if possible. I am afraid it is rather urgent.”  
Jim sat up a little straighter, a small frown creasing his forehead.  
“Of course, Ambassador. What can we do for you?”  
“Scientists here on New Vulcan have detected some activity in an uncharted region of our star system. It is thought that these readings may indicate a wormhole, much like the one which brought me here-”  
Spock was not prone to exaggeration, but he was willing to swear that his heart skipped a beat. The wormhole…  
“No,” he said before he had time to think. Several of the crew turned to stare, but Jim continued staring straight ahead.  
“I’m sorry, Ambassador, but Spock’s right. There’s no way we’re going near that thing.”  
“And what makes you think I want you to approach it? I have barely told you anything.”  
Spock cut in before Jim could think of a response. His professional tone was even sharper than usual as he replied.  
“Because it is the only logical conclusion. You contacted the ship, meaning you wish for our assistance. If there is any chance that something or someone could come through that wormhole, I- and I think I speak for the majority of the command staff who witnessed Nero’s attack- wish to be as far away as possible when it emerges. Need I remind you of what happened last time this wormhole appeared?”  
Jim rose from his seat and stood next to Spock.  
“I agree. We’re not going near it. If you want any more data on the wormhole, we can contact Starfleet and have them analyse your readings. Other than that, we’re not doing anything.”  
On the viewscreen, the older Spock nodded slowly.  
“I understand your reservations, Captain, but would you please allow me to finish?”  
The captain nodded reluctantly, a little of the tension draining from his shoulders as he sat back down. Spock swallowed hard, fighting down the tide of emotions that were threatening to overwhelm him. He was in control, he told himself, he was over that. The pain should not still feel so fresh that it burned. But to see his planet lost…  
The Ambassador spoke again, but it wasn’t until Jim replied that Spock looked up.  
“-us to send an away team _into the wormhole_? No. Absolutely not, it’s far too risky. I won’t lose another man.”  
Spock snapped to attention. Through the wormhole? Of all the things Spock had been expecting, this was definitely not one of them. It was far worse.  
“Trust me, Captain, it will be safe.”- and Spock felt a stab of dislike for his older self, hearing him address Jim as ‘Captain’ when he had no right, hearing him tell Jim it would be safe when it so obviously could not be, before reeling in his illogical emotions and concentrating as best he could on the conversation at hand.  
“How can you be sure? The first time that wormhole appeared, my father’s ship was blown up. The second time, it led to Spock’s planet- your planet, whatever- being destroyed. What make you so certain that things will be different this time?”  
The captain was growing angry, his cheeks reddening and his knuckles turning white where they gripped the arms of his chair. Spock felt sorry for him- Jim had spent his whole life living in his father’s shadow, yet he obviously wished that he could have met him. The simple fact that Jim had brought the USS _Kelvin_ into the argument proved just how distressed he was.  
“Because, Jim,”- there it is again, thought Spock, the now-familiar stab of anger- “I have conducted extensive research into this particular wormhole and I am 97.362% sure I know where it will lead. It is imperative that I go there, and that a scout party are sent through. There is… something I need to bring here which can only be found on the other side of the wormhole.”  
“I don’t think you understand, _Ambassador_ ,” said Jim in a low, threatening tone. “When that thing appears, people _die_. After my father died, my mother always blamed me, did you know that? Then Spock half-killed me when Vulcan was destroyed. I can’t keep letting the people I care about get hurt, okay? The crew of this ship are like my family, there are people here who I love, and-”  
“ _And I am asking to save the one I love_ ,” spat the Ambassador. Spock tore his eyes from his captain and stared at the viewscreen, certain he had misheard. This man was a version of himself, after all, and Spock was certain that he didn’t mean Lieutenant Uhura. From their few conversations together he had gathered that in the Ambassador’s timeline Uhura was simply the communications officer and that they had never had any relationship beyond the respect between colleagues. So to whom could the older Spock be referring? Looking around, Spock could see that everyone viewing the conversation was similarly stunned. Sulu and Chekov were whispering frantically, and behind him he heard Nyota gasp. Jim leaned back in his chair, staring intently at the screen. The elder Spock seemed almost shocked at his own admission, but for a split second there was more than that. For the briefest of moments, the Ambassador looked old. Old, and tired, and sad. Jim felt the faint tug of a memory that wasn’t quite his, a remnant of his mind meld with Ambassador Spock on Delta Vega. _“I suppose most of us overlook the fact that even Vulcans aren’t indestructible,”_ said a voice that wasn’t quite his. He sighed.  
“Ambassador, what are the co-ordinates you want us to go to? Mr Sulu… please plot a course to the wormhole, going past New Vulcan on the way.”  
“Captain?” asked Sulu, looking around quickly, but Jim was already heading for the lift and Spock knew him well enough to follow. He was fairly certain that his friend- yes, he thought to himself, they were friends- would need to talk, and Spock wanted to be there to offer assistance.  
He was right. As soon as the doors hissed shut, Jim swore and clenched his hands into fists.  
“That son of a- Sorry, Spock, I know he’s you but he isn’t, you know? I’d rather have you by my side any day. And he wants us to go to that wormhole, and God knows we saw how well that went last time. And then I lost it, and I had to bring Dad into it, didn’t I? I’m such an idiot.”  
“Incorrect, Captain. Your intelligence is no less than that of the average human, and certainly it is notably superior to some.”  
Jim smiled reluctantly, a little of the light returning to his piercing blue eyes.  
“You really know how to cheer a guy up, don’t you? And I’ve told you before, call me Jim when we’re not on duty!”  
Spock inclined his head slightly, a tiny smile tugging at his lips.  
“Indeed, Jim. If you have time, would you care for a game of chess?”  
The captain smiled properly, the tension draining from his shoulders.  
“Yeah, Spock. Chess sounds good.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy this! I pretty much know where this is going, so I'll work on it as often as I can. As ever, kudos are great and comments are fabulous :)


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